With 3 products waiting in the wings for launch, interior work at the new office demanding attention, and screaming accountants breathing down my neck, a ride to goa in the middle of this mess was particularly irresponsible! More so because I had just ridden down a month before! However with the venue of the annual meet shifting to Goa, there was little choice but to head down that path once again! I was originally supposed to leave with the Bangalore junta on Thursday morning. But a last minute meeting in Hubli, meant that I rode out solo a day earlier to Hubli and from there on the next day to Goa. On the return, i would take the Sirsi-Savalganga route to Shimoga.

1 Leaving a little after 0600 hours on Wednesday, I took the NICE road as an easy exit to Bangalore, which meant that I was at Tumkur by 0730 or so. After a hearty breakfast of steamed Idli’s at Kamats, I pushed onwards on the NH4 towards Hubli.

2 With 2 more rehydrating stops at Chitradurga and Ranibennur, i was at the Kamats before Hubli at around 1200 am. I could have pushed on towards my destination for the day which was just 20 kms ahead. But the hunger was overpowering!

3 I have never ordered anything other than breakfast/snack items at a Kamats. So it was with some hesitation that I placed an unusual order for Veg Biryani. Even the waiter was surprised enough to cross-check twice whether that was really what I wanted. To the cooks credit, he did a wonderful job and turned out a fabulous Biryani indeed!

4 Hubli has a number of good staying options for every budget. ‘Clarks Inn’, located a stones throw away from the Hubli airport, is probably the best staying option in town. With rack rates of about 2500 a day, not too expensive either. And they are said to put up a mean breakfast! Must try that sometime! 2500 bucks was a little too much to be spending while on a ride. So i decided to go for something more basic.

5 “Hotel Ayodhya”, located smack bang opposite the main bus stand in Hubli is the best option for those on a budget. I got a VERY decent and hygienic single room for all of 300 bucks!!! Their AC suites were for 800 bucks. Ayodhya has the advantage of having an attached restaurant which is well known for its vegetarian food. Hotel Tirupati, located 200 meters to the south is similar in layout and charges to Ayodhya. The only disadvantage of these 2 hotels is the traffic noise can be overwhelming during the day and some of these hotels do not serve or allow consumption of alcohol.